


Rebuilding the Dream Team

by ericsonclan



Series: Talk Derby to Me [2]
Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Roller Derby, Gen, Team as Family, Teambuilding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:35:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25386922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ericsonclan/pseuds/ericsonclan
Summary: When the Ravagers fall apart, what does that mean for Sophie, Minnie and Violet's roller derby dreams?
Relationships: Minerva & Sophie (Walking Dead: Done Running)
Series: Talk Derby to Me [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1820809
Kudos: 1





	Rebuilding the Dream Team

**Author's Note:**

> (by Linnea)

It had been a couple months since the match with the Ferndale Decimators and since then so much had changed for the Ericson Ravagers. They had had a mixture of wins and losses. Each time the team lost they would rise above their defeat, figuring out where they fell short and improving on it. Each time they won they would throw a small party and laugh about how much fun they had being on the team. Until one day when Therissa called a meeting. 

“What’s the meeting about?” Sophie rolled over on her skates, making a screeching halt as she arrived at the circle where her team stood. 

“I called the meeting to tell you all that I’m quitting the team,” Therissa’s announcement was met with heated responses. Everyone seemed completely surprised that their leader would suddenly bail on them.

“Why?” Violet looked up at the leader in confusion. “We’ve been on a winning streak lately.”

“It has nothing to do with the team.” Therissa shook her head before looking around at her teammates “I’m pregnant.” 

The team once again erupted into chaos. Sophie and Erin gave their congratulations while some of the others still looked upset by their leader’s choice.

“Is it permanent? Are you never coming back to the team?” Minnie’s question made everyone look back at Therissa. 

“Yes,”

“That’s bullshit! If you’re leaving, then I’m quitting too.” Stephanie began to walk away.

“Wait, there’s no need for that,” Sophie skated forward in front of some of her teammates who were beginning to walk out. “We can still make this work. We have other really strong players on the team.”

One of the girls scoffed at her statement. “Please, the only reason we joined was because of Therissa. If she’s gone, so are we.”

“Fine, leave,” Violet hissed as she crossed her arms. “See how many join you,” Her eyes widened in shock at the team’s response. Everyone except for Erin and the twins decided that they were leaving as well.

“Really, Maddie? But you were just starting to become an amazing tagger,” Sophie pleaded. 

Her friend gave an apologetic look. “It’s pretty useless to be a tagger if there isn’t a team.”

Minnie’s face fell, a look of frustration plaguing it which she didn’t want the others to see. The room fell into awkward silence until Therissa walked off, followed by the remainder of the team. 

Leaving just four players on the rink, saddened and frustrated by the sudden change of events. 

\---

“We’re fucking doomed,” Violet mumbled as she skated around the rink, followed by the other three. They were just in the process of getting their warmups done for the day’s practice. It had been a week since the majority of the team had disbanded.

“We can still get a team together, we only need four more to qualify for the upcoming season.” Minnie skidded to a halt as she finished her laps.

Sophie was sitting down, taking a long sip from her water bottle. “I put up some posters around campus so who knows - we may just get a team yet,” Her bright smile seemed to lift up Violet’s mood just as she finished her laps. 

“Yeah, we still need to figure out a leader though,” Violet mumbled while she caught her breath.

“Guys…” Erin’s whisper wasn’t heard as the other three continued their conversation.

“Well, I sure as hell don’t want to be the leader,” Minnie readjusted her helmet, making sure it was secure enough for the next part in today’s practice.

“Guys…”

“Neither do I,” Violet groaned. “I would be a shit leader.”

“I don’t think that’s true,” Sophie said reassuringly

“Guys!” 

The three of them paused their conversation, looking over in Erin’s direction in suprise. Erin immediately became self-conscious, but still decided to go for it. “I’m quitting.”

“What?” Minnie couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“Why, Erin?” Sophie’s tone took on a sadder note. “We’re gonna get a team together.”

“No, you’re not. The only reason we even got through the season last year was because of Therissa.”

Violet’s face twisted in anger at Erin’s words. Her arms were crossed and she refused to look up at her teammate. “You’re wrong,”

“Maybe, but I’m not gonna stay to find out. I’m sick of getting hurt just for a stupid sport,” Erin tossed aside her helmet which collided with the ground before rolling to a stop at Sophie’s feet. 

The three didn’t bother to say anything; they didn’t have any motivation to do so. Were they really going to get a team together? Even if they did, could they ever reach their former glory?

\---

Sophie skated around the rink, pushing her legs to the limit as she made a sharp turn. Her fingers brushed the ground while she redirected her balance on the turn. Violet and Minnie were taking a short break after they’d practiced a new move. It would help them in matches, that is, if they ever got more team members. It had been two weeks and they’d had no luck. Sophie was about to start another lap when she froze. 

There standing in the doorway were two girls who seemed to be in awe of the rink. Slowly the pair made their way over to the trio. The taller of the pair seemed to be shy as she fidgeted with a button on her shirt, a strand of hair falling down from her slicked back ginger hair. 

Sophie skated forward, a warm smile playing on her lips. Could it be? Were they here to join?

“Hey, you two interested in roller derby?” Sophie noticed out of the corner of her eye that Minnie and Violet were making their way over to the potential teammates as well. 

“That’s right,” the shorter redhead nodded with an excited smile. “I’m Ruby and this is my best friend Brody,” She gestured to the girl next to her.

“Hi,” Brody mustered up her courage to give them a friendly smile.

“I’m Sophie, that’s Violet, our amazing jammer, and Minnie, my sister and our best blocker.” Minnie and Violet nodded at their introductions. “So, have either of you ever played roller derby before?”

“Nope, seen it in films and saw a poster that there were spots open so we decided to give it a chance,”

“You do realize it’s a contact sport,” Violet stated before getting elbowed by Minnie. Violet looked up at Minnie with annoyance.

“Thought it would help with building confidence,” Brody looked over at the team.

“Well if you want, you can join us for practice and see if you’re still interested in joining the team afterwards,” Sophie motioned for them to follow her to the locker rooms where she went over the basics as Violet and Minnie helped them get ready.

“You got all of that?” Sophie looked over at the two newbie redheads who seemed unfazed even after the long explanation.

“It’s a lot, but I think I got it,” Brody seemed lost in thought as if she was going over the rules again and again in her head.

“I think once we see firsthand, we’ll get the full picture,” Ruby rolled forward on her skates.

“Then follow me,” Sophie rolled out to the rink once again. “Now we’ll make you two bruisers for this practice, meaning your goal is to knock us over to get to Vi who’s the jammer and stop her from getting points.” 

Ruby and Brody nodded. The round started. It became pretty clear from the get go that they were completely new to the sport, but that didn’t stop them from giving it their all. Ruby seemed like she had great potential for a bruiser. Whenever a chance arrived she gave a hard push to either of the twins, causing them to nearly take a spill. Brody on the other hand seemed less fitted for a designated bruiser position. Every time she hesitated to attack Sophie or Minnie, worried that she might hurt them even though they swore they’d be fine. They ended the practice after putting the pair through their paces.

“So, still wanna join?” Sophie’s eyes held a simple hope.

“We’d love to,” Ruby smiled.

“Gonna take me some time, but I think this could be fun,” Brody added with a smile.

“Then welcome to the Ericson Ravagers!” Sophie dramatically threw out her arms. Now they only needed three more members. There was hope after all.

\---

Nearly a week had passed and no more members had joined but that didn’t stop the five team members from giving their all. Brody was slowly coming out of her shell, pushing and fighting against the twins as they blocked her. Ruby continued to grow into a strong bruiser with each practice. 

“Shit, you got some arm on you,” Minnie rolled her neck while taking a sip from her water bottle.

“Awww, sug, it’s nothing,” Ruby looked happy about the compliment though. 

“Oh!” Brody nearly dropped her towel when the realization hit, “I was looking into the season to get prepared and I heard another strong team broke up two months ago but that three of the team members still want to play on. They’re up for grabs right now.”

“We should get them then,” Violet stated plainly, throwing a tangerine in her mouth.

“I’ll be sure to contact them,” Sophie offered. “What team were they on?”

Brody tried to recall the name, her face scrunched up in concentration before Ruby butted in.

“The Ferndale Decimators.”

Vi and the twins looked at each other with shocked expressions. They couldn’t believe that a team that strong had fallen.

\---

Sophie paced nervously back and forth as she waited for the three potential members to show up. Brody and Ruby sat in nervous excitement while Violet and Minnie seemed to have two very different moods. Violet for some reason seemed more excited than usual at meeting the members while Minnie seemed to dread the prospect. Everyone paused in their thoughts when the door opened, revealing the three new members. Sophie couldn’t believe who the three were. There making their way down the stairs were Piranha, Reaper and Banshee. Sophie made her way forward along with the rest of her team. Banshee seemed to be leading the trio, her eyes serious and determined, but Sophie could swear she saw excitement within them. 

“I can’t believe it. I thought we’d meet in another game, not like this,” Sophie looked over at the other two recruits. Reaper seemed somewhat excited as well. Her eyes looked around the rink before landing on one of the members behind Sophie. Piranha seemed absolutely ecstatic about this meeting, her body swaying back and forth from the uncontrollable joy coursing through her veins. 

“Me neither,” Banshee looked around at the team. “It’s a small team you’ve got.”

“Our leader left a while ago along with the rest of our team, so this is it.”

Banshee nodded and looked back at the other two for a second before turning round. “I’m Clementine,” She offered her hand which Sophie immediately accepted with a bright smile.

“Sophie. That’s Violet, Minnie, and our two newest members, Brody and Ruby.”

Each member of the team gave a small wave at their introduction. Violet’s eyes seemed to immediately be glued to the floor for some reason though. Sophie looked back in confusion. She thought Violet had been happy to meet the new team members. Minnie looked annoyed which only became more apparent when Piranha looked her way. 

Reaper walked forward and extended her hand. “Prisha,”

Piranha jumped forward alongside her teammate, wrapping her arm around Prisha’s shoulder. “And I’m Renata!” 

Prisha let out an annoyed sigh, tossing aside Renata’s arm. 

“Well, even if our team is small, would you like to join?” Sophie’s question stopped Prisha and Renata from butting heads. Clementine and her teammates shared a happy look.

“We’d love to.”

From that point on Sophie led the tour, showing the lockers they would have along with all their gear. After the tour was done, she stopped in the middle of the rink. “So, I guess we should assign our different roles. Minnie and I are primarily blockers, Vi’s been our jammer, Brody our jack of all trades and Ruby’s our bruiser.” 

“I was the leader on the previous team as well as the jammer. Prisha’s the best bruiser you’re gonna find and Renata’s far too fast for her own good and our main tagger.” Clementine stated, pausing for a moment, wondering if she should ask the question on her mind.

“Ask,” 

Clementine looked up when she heard Violet’s voice. “Are you going to be the leader, Sophie?”

Sophie’s eyes widened at the question. “Oh, I was just a stand in. I don’t need to be the leader if it’s not the best fit for the team and I’m pretty sure no one else wants to be the leader either.”   
Sophie looked back at the rest of her team who all seemed to agree with her assessment. 

“We also have the issue of the two jammers,” Prisha added, making Violet look over in her direction.

“That’s true,” Sophie played with a strand of her hair as she thought. A moment of silence took over the room, neither side wanting to step on each others’ toes. Sophie’s eyes suddenly lit up as she came up with an idea. She hit her closed fist on her open palm. “A race!”

“I’m down!” Renata's cheery voice rang throughout the room.

Sophie shook her head. “No, I meant between Violet and Clementine.”

“What?” Violet walked forward to look Sophie in the eyes. “Why?”

“To see who the best jammer really is. Winner of the race gets to decide which role they want. Loser gets the other role.” Sophie met Violet’s annoyed glare evenly. She knew Violet had some of the best potential as a jammer. She just needed a push. So why not hold the potential position of leader that she hated over her head while the one she loved was the prize she could win? 

Clementine’s smile grew at the suggestion. “Sounds good to me. What about you, Violet?”

Violet turned, walking towards the locker room without a word. She was pissed. But she would race.

Soon the two were ready and with a dramatic flag wave by Renata the race began. Whoever made three laps the fastest won. Violet skated with all of her might, turning corners with precision and speed, but Clementine was no pushover. Every time Violet thought she’d gotten the upper hand, Clementine appeared by her side. The two collided with each other, their desire to win fueling their skating. Violet cursed furiously when Clementine edged out the lead as they entered the second lap. 

She looked around the rink, trying to figure out the best course of action. Her eyes hardened as she moved closer to the inner circle of the rink, crouching down and gaining speed around corners. Violet’s fingers scratched against the floor of the rink as she took a risky turn, causing her to take the lead. A cocky smile appeared on her face for a second before fading away. There was still one lap left and Clementine wasn’t giving up. 

Her elbow found Violet’s abdomen, making her gasp for air before gritting her teeth. Violet slid sharply, pushing Clementine towards the edge of the rink. Clementine tried one more move to win. Her arm shot out sharply, but Violet dodged it, sliding past the finish line. Both girls were gasping for air as their bodies fell to the ground. The rest of the team ran over to join them. 

“Great job, Vi!” Sophie smiled down at her friend who looked up with annoyance. “Whatcha gonna choose? Leader or jammer?”

“Jammer. I’m gonna get us to victory,” Violet stood up shakily, “Just you watch.”

Sophie put her hands on her hips. “I don’t doubt you for a second,” She turned her attention toward Clementine. “I guess that means you’re the leader, Clem,”

Clementine looked shocked at the news. She immediately accepted Brody’s hand as she stood up. “I’ll do my best.” She looked around at her team who all seemed confident in their new leader. 

Clementine couldn’t believe it. Just a few months ago, she thought she would have to give up roller derby entirely. But here she was with a new team and a newfound determination.


End file.
